11788 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 32 / Thursday, February 15, 2024 / Proposed Rules 

PART 422—ORGANIZATION AND 

FUNCTIONS OF THE SOCIAL 

SECURITY ADMINISTRATION 

Subpart B—General Procedures 

■ 13. The authority citation for subpart 

B of part 422 is revised to read as 

follows: 

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 405, 432, 902(a)(5), 

1320b–1, 1320b–13, and 1320e–3, and sec. 

7213(a)(1)(A) of Pub. L. 108–458. 

■ 14. Add § 422.150 to read as follows: 

§ 422.150 Guidelines for Establishing and 

Maintaining an Information Exchange with 

Payroll Data Providers 

(a) Guidelines for Establishing an 

Information Exchange with Payroll Data 

Providers. In establishing an 

information exchange under section 

1184 of the Social Security Act, we will 

do the following: 

(1) Identify the payroll data providers 

(as defined in §§ 404.702 and 416.702 of 

this chapter) that may be interested in 

participating in an information 

exchange with us. 

(2) Review the payroll data providers 

and consider factors such as: whether a 

payroll data provider is able and willing 

to engage in an information exchange; 

what data the payroll data provider 

could provide; whether the data from 

the payroll data provider is sufficiently 

accurate, complete, and up-to-date; and 

any conditions and limitations 

associated with our receipt of the data. 

(3) Consistent with applicable law 

and regulations, establish an 

information exchange with the selected 

payroll data provider. The arrangement 

between us and the selected payroll data 

provider will describe: 

(i) the records that will be matched; 

(ii) the procedures for the match; 

(iii) any requirements established 

related to accuracy, completeness, and 

up-to-date records; 

(iv) the procedures for ensuring the 

administrative, technical, and physical 

security of the records matched; and 

(v) such other provisions as are 

necessary. 

(4) Prior to receiving payroll data 

provider information, publish a notice 

in the Federal Register that describes 

the information exchange and the extent 

to which the information received 

through such exchange is: 

(i) relevant and necessary to: (A) 

accurately determine initial and ongoing 

entitlement to, and the amount of, 

disability benefits under title II of the 

Social Security Act; (B) accurately 

determine eligibility for, and the 

amount of, benefits under the 

Supplemental Security Income program 

under title XVI of the Social Security 

Act; and (C) prevent improper payments 

of such benefits; and 

(ii) sufficiently accurate, up-to-date, 

and complete. 

(b) Guidelines for Maintaining an 

Information Exchange with Payroll Data 

Providers. We will perform the 

following activities while we maintain 

an established information exchange 

with a payroll data provider described 

in paragraph (a): 

(1) Periodically assess whether the 

data we receive under the information 

exchange continues to be accurate, 

complete, and up-to-date; and 

(2) Monitor compliance with the 

requirements of the information 

exchange described in paragraph (a)(3). 

[FR Doc. 2024–02961 Filed 2–14–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4191–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 

Employment and Training 

Administration 

20 CFR Part 656 

[Docket No. ETA–2023–0006] 

RIN 1205–AC16 

Labor Certification for Permanent 

Employment of Foreign Workers in the 

United States; Modernizing Schedule A 

To Include Consideration of Additional 

Occupations in Science, Technology, 

Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) 

and Non-STEM Occupations 

AGENCY: Employment and Training 

Administration (ETA), Labor. 

ACTION: Request for information; 

extension of public comment period. 

SUMMARY: On December 21, 2023, ETA 

published a Request for Information 

(RFI), titled ‘‘Labor Certification for 

Permanent Employment of Foreign 

Workers in the United States; 

Modernizing Schedule A To Include 

Consideration of Additional 

Occupations in Science, Technology, 

Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) 

and Non-STEM Occupations.’’ The 

period for submitting public comments 

is being extended to May 13, 2024, to 

allow stakeholders additional time to 

comment. 

DATES: The comment period for the RFI 

published in the Federal Register on 

December 21, 2023 (88 FR 88290), is 

extended. Submit comments to the RFI 

and other information by May 13, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit written 

comments electronically by the 

following method: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: 

https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions on the website for 

submitting comments. 

• Instructions: Include the docket 

number ETA–2023–0006 in your 

comments. All comments received will 

be posted without change to https://

www.regulations.gov. Please do not 

include any personally identifiable or 

confidential business information you 

do not want publicly disclosed. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Brian Pasternak, Administrator, Office 

of Foreign Labor Certification, 

Employment and Training 

Administration, Department of Labor, 

200 Constitution Avenue NW, N–5311, 

Washington, DC 20210; Telephone (202) 

513–7350 (this is not a toll-free 

number). For persons with a hearing or 

speech disability who need assistance to 

use the telephone system, please dial 

711 to access telecommunications relay 

services. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On 

December 21, 2023, ETA published an 

RFI titled, ‘‘Labor Certification for 

Permanent Employment of Foreign 

Workers in the United States; 

Modernizing Schedule A To Include 

Consideration of Additional 

Occupations in Science, Technology, 

Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) 

and Non-STEM Occupations.’’ 88 FR 

88290. In the RFI, ETA invited public 

comment on ‘‘evaluating the utility of 

expanding Schedule A to include STEM 

occupations, the Department invites the 

public to provide input on the 

appropriate data sources and methods 

for determining whether labor shortages 

exist, whether Schedule A should be 

used to alleviate any labor shortages in 

STEM occupations should it be 

determined from these data sources and 

methods that such shortages exist, and 

if so, how the Department could 

establish a reliable, objective, and 

transparent methodology for identifying 

STEM occupations that are experiencing 

labor shortages.’’ The RFI further invited 

the public to answer a number of 

questions in their responses that would 

assist ETA in making this evaluation. 

The public comment period for this 

RFI was to conclude on February 20, 

2024, 60 days after publication of the 

RFI. To date, ETA has received a very 

limited number of comments, many of 

which do not provide the information 

requested or address the questions 

raised in the RFI. In addition, ETA 

received a request from a stakeholder for 

an extension of the public comment 

period (Document ID ETA–2023–0006– 

0035). ETA agrees to an extension of the 

public comment period and believes 

that an extension until May 13, 2024, is 

sufficient and appropriate to balance the 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 32 / Thursday, February 15, 2024 / Proposed Rules 11789 

1 17 U.S.C. 408(c)(1). 

2See generally 37 CFR 202.3(b)(5), 202.4(c)–(k), 

(o). 

3H.R. Rep. No. 94–1476, at 154 (1976), reprinted 

in 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. 5659, 5770; S. Rep. No. 94– 

473, at 136 (1975). 

4H.R. Rep. No. 94–1476 at 154; S. Rep. No. 94– 

473 at 136. 

5This document references a number of prior 

rulemakings in which commenters have requested 

group registration, including: 60 FR 18742 (Mar. 28, 

2012) (‘‘2014 Fee Study NPRM’’); 80 FR 23054 (Apr. 

24, 2015) (‘‘Visual Works NOI’’); 81 FR 86643 (Dec. 

1, 2016) (‘‘Group Photographs NPRM’’); 82 FR 

47415 (Oct. 12, 2017) (‘‘GRUW NPRM’’); 83 FR 

24054 (May 24, 2018) (‘‘2019 Fee Study NPRM’’); 

83 FR 52336 (Oct. 17, 2018) (‘‘Registration 

Modernization NOI’’); 84 FR 66328 (Dec. 4, 2019) 

(‘‘Online Publication NOI’’); and 86 FR 70540 (Dec. 

10, 2021) (‘‘Deferred Registration Examination 

Study NOI’’). 

6Copyright Alliance Comment in response to 

Deferred Registration Examination NOI, at 31 (Jan. 

24, 2022) (urging the Office to create ‘‘a group 

registration option for illustrations’’); Coalition of 

Visual Artists (‘‘Coalition’’) Comment in response to 

2019 Fee Study NPRM, at 35 (May 24, 2018) (‘‘We 

believe that the current GRPPH [‘‘Group 

Registration of Published Photographs’’] and 

GRUPH [‘‘Group Registration of Unpublished 

Photographs’’] group registrations should be 

expanded to include all such two-dimensional 

visual works, including without limitation, 

illustrations, graphic art, video clips, textile arts or 

visual art in any medium.’’); Coalition Comment in 

response to Group Photographs NPRM, at 60 (Jan. 

30, 2017) (asking the Office to ‘‘[a]llow group 

registration for all two-dimensional artworks (visual 

works)’’); Graphic Artists Guild Comment in 

response to Visual Works NOI, at 9 (July 20, 2015) 

(requesting ‘‘a new ruling to allow Group 

registration for illustration and graphic design; for 

all visual works, not just photographs’’); 

Association of Medical Illustrators (‘‘AMI’’) 

Comment in response to Registration Modernization 

NOI, at 9 (Jan. 15, 2019) (‘‘The AMI wishes to 

emphasize that the option of group registration for 

multiple published images for a single, reasonable 

fee should be available for works of visual art 

. . . .’’); Shaftel & Schmelzer Comment in response 

to Registration Modernization NOI, at 30–31 (Jan. 

11, 2019) (‘‘The Graphic Artists Guild has been on 

record to the Copyright Office asking to include 

illustration and graphic art in the Group registration 

category since 1999; at every Roundtable 

discussion, annual meeting, and nearly every NOI 

comment letter for the last 20 years.’’ (footnote 

omitted)). 

7Coalition Comment in response to Deferred 

Registration Examination Study NOI, at 3 (Jan. 24, 

2022); Graphic Artists Guild Reply Comment in 

response to Online Publication NOI, at 2 (June 15, 

2020); Graphic Artists Guild Comment in response 

to Registration Modernization NOI, at 6 (Jan. 15, 

2019); Shaftel & Schmelzer Comment in response to 

Registration Modernization NOI, at 30 (Jan. 11, 

2019); Coalition Comment in response to 2019 Fee 

Study NPRM, at 35 (May 24, 2018). 

8Coalition Comment in response to Online 

Publication NOI, App. B, at 16 n.27 (Mar. 19, 2020); 

Continued 

agency’s need for timely and robust 

input and to satisfy the stakeholder’s 

request. Accordingly, the comment 

period for this RFI is being extended 

and will now conclude on May 13, 

2024. 

Brent Parton, 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for 

Employment and Training, Labor. 

[FR Doc. 2024–03187 Filed 2–14–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4510–FP–P 

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

Copyright Office 

37 CFR Parts 201, 202 

[Docket No. 2024–2] 

Group Registration of TwoDimensional Artwork 

AGENCY: U.S. Copyright Office, Library 

of Congress. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Copyright Office is 

proposing to create a new group 

registration option for two-dimensional 

artwork. This option will allow 

applicants to register up to ten works 

published within a thirty-day time 

period by submitting a single online 

application with a digital deposit copy 

of each work. The Office will examine 

each work to determine if it contains a 

sufficient amount of creative pictorial or 

graphic authorship. If the Office 

registers the claim, the registration will 

cover each artwork as a separate work 

of authorship. The Office invites 

comment on this proposal. 

DATES: Comments on the proposed rule 

must be made in writing and must be 

received by the U.S. Copyright Office no 

later than April 1, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: For reasons of government 

efficiency, the Copyright Office is using 

the regulations.gov system for the 

submission and posting of public 

comments in this proceeding. All 

comments are therefore to be submitted 

electronically through regulations.gov. 

Specific instructions for submitting 

comments are available on the 

Copyright Office website at http://copy

right.gov/rulemaking/gr2d. If electronic 

submission of comments is not feasible 

due to lack of access to a computer and/ 

or the internet, please contact the Office 

using the contact information below for 

special instructions. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Rhea Efthimiadis, Assistant to the 

General Counsel, by email at meft@

copyright.gov, or by telephone at 202– 

707–8350. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

The U.S. Copyright Office (‘‘Office’’) 

is proposing to create a new group 

registration option for works of twodimensional art. When Congress 

enacted the Copyright Act of 1976 

(‘‘Copyright Act’’ or ‘‘Act’’), it 

authorized the Register of Copyrights 

(‘‘Register’’) to specify by regulation the 

administrative classes of works for the 

purpose of seeking registration, and the 

nature of the deposit required for each 

such class. Congress afforded the 

Register discretion to permit registration 

of groups of related works with one 

application and one filing fee, known as 

‘‘group registration.’’ 1 Pursuant to this 

authority, the Register has established 

regulations permitting the Office to 

issue group registrations for certain 

limited categories of works, provided 

certain conditions have been met.2

As the legislative history explains, 

allowing ‘‘a number of related works to 

be registered together as a group 

represent[ed] a needed and important 

liberalization of the law.’’ 3 Congress 

recognized that requiring applicants to 

submit separate applications where 

related works are separately published 

may be so burdensome that authors and 

copyright owners may forgo registration 

altogether, since registration is not a 

prerequisite to copyright protection.4 If 

copyright owners do not submit their 

works for registration, the public record 

will not contain any information 

concerning these works. 

At the same time, when published 

works are bundled together in one 

application, it can be difficult to capture 

adequate information about each work, 

particularly within the technological 

constraints of the current electronic 

registration system (known as ‘‘eCO’’). 

The Office also must consider the 

potential effect of a group registration 

option on its overall administration of 

the registration system, including the 

processing times for other types of 

works. Group registration options 

require balancing the copyright owner’s 

desire for more liberal registration 

options, the importance of an accurate 

public record, and the Office’s need for 

an efficient method of examining, 

indexing, and cataloging each work. 

A. Calls for a New Registration Option 

for Two-Dimensional Artwork 5

On numerous occasions, groups 

representing artists have asked the 

Office to establish a new group 

registration option for two-dimensional 

artwork.6 They assert that such an 

option is needed because visual artists 

are often prolific creators who produce 

a significant number of works each 

year.7 These works can be particularly 

susceptible to infringement, because in 

most cases they are fixed in a digital file 

that can easily be copied, even if the file 

includes copyright management 

information or technical protection 

measures.8 Once a file has been sent to 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with PROPOSALS